| 1. |
- Stenmark, Bianca, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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Genome-wide methylome analysis of two strains belonging to the hypervirulent Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W ST-11 clonal complex
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A rising incidence of meningococcal serogroup W disease has been evident in many countries worldwide. Serogroup W isolates belonging to the sequence type (ST)-11 clonal complex have been associated with atypical symptoms and increased case fatality rates. The continued expansion of this clonal complex in the later part of the 2010s has been largely due to a shift from the so-called original UK strain to the 2013 strain. Here we used single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to determine the methylomes of the two major serogroup W strains belonging to ST-11 clonal complex. Five methylated motifs were identified in this study, and three of the motifs, namely 5'-GATC-3', 5'-GAAGG-3', 5'-GCGCGC-3', were found in all 13 isolates investigated. The results showed no strain-specific motifs or difference in active restriction modification systems between the two strains. Two phase variable methylases were identified and the enrichment or depletion of the methylation motifs generated by these methylases varied between the two strains. Results from this work give further insight into the low diversity of methylomes in highly related strains and encourage further research to decipher the role of regions with under- or overrepresented methylation motifs.
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| 2. |
- Säll, Olof, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Atypical presentation of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W disease is associated with the introduction of the 2013 strain
- 2021
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Ingår i: Epidemiology and Infection. - : Cambridge University Press. - 0950-2688 .- 1469-4409. ; 149
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since 2015, the incidence of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) caused by serogroup W (MenW) has increased in Sweden, due to the introduction of the 2013 strain belonging to clonal complex 11. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of MenW infections, in particular the 2013 strain, including genetic associations. Medical records of confirmed MenW IMD cases in Sweden during the years 1995-2019 (n = 113) were retrospectively reviewed and the clinical data analysed according to strain. Of all MenW patients, bacteraemia without the focus of infection was seen in 44%, bacteraemic pneumonia in 26%, meningitis in 13% and epiglottitis in 8%, gastrointestinal symptoms in 48% and 4% presented with petechiae. Phylogenetic analysis was used for possible links between genetic relationship and clinical picture. The 2013 strain infections, particularly in one cluster, were associated with more severe disease compared with other MenW infections. The patients with 2013 strain infections (n = 68) were older (52 years vs. 25 years for other strains), presented more often with diarrhoea as an atypical presentation (P = 0.045) and were more frequently admitted for intensive care (P = 0.032). There is a risk that the atypical clinical presentation of MenW infections, with predominantly gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms rather than neck stiffness or petechiae, may lead to delay in life-saving treatment.
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